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WHIMBREL 351 WHISKEY INSURRECTION land in the reign of Charles I., and in England in that of Charles II. In United States history, the name Whig was first applied to the sup- porters of the cause of the colonies against the English king in the Revolu- tionary War. The name was doubtless applied to the opponents of the king, from the fact that in England the same name was applied to the opposers of the royal prerogative in the time of James II., who were ultimately successful in un- seating that monarch. After the Revo- lution the name Whig disappeared from politics, and the people of the country divided into Federalists and Democrats. The party platform of both parties, be- ing gradually altered to meet existing exigencies, the name Federalist was dropped and the term Whig again re- suscitated and applied to the opponents of the Democratic party. This name was retained till the agitation of the slavery question induced the formation of a new party, advocating the abolition of slavery and composed of recruits from the ranks of both the Democratic and Whig parties. To this new party the name Republican was applied, and after its formation the name Whig dis- appeared from American jwlitics. WHIMBREL, in ornithology, the Numenius ph^opus, widely distributed from the N. of Europe and Asia to the N. of Africa and India, visiting Eng- land in its spring and autumn migra- WHIMBREL tion, occasionally breeding in the Shet- land Islands. It resemblea the curlew but is smaller, and has a proportionately shorter bill; length of male 16 inches, female somewhat larger; plumage bright ash color, with streaks of brown on neck and breast; a band of yellow- ish white on middle of head, with a wider brown band on each side; belly and abdomen white; feathers of bark and scapulars deep brown in the middle. bordered with brighter brown; tail ashy brown, with oblique brown bands; bill blackish, inclining to red at base; feet lead color. Its flesh is esteemed for the table, and its eggs ai'e as highly valued as those of the plover. See Curlew. WHIPPLE, EDWIN PERCY, an American literary critic; born in Glou- cester, Mass., March 8, 1819. He pub- lished: "Essays and Reviews" (2 vols. 1848-1849) ; "Lectures on Subjects con- nected with Literature and Life" (1849) ; "Character and Characteristic Men" (1867); "The Literature of the Age of Elizabeth" (1868) ; "Success and its Conditions" (1871) ; and posthu- mously published "Recollections of Emi- nent Men" (1887); "American Litera- ture and Other Papers" (1887) ; and "Outlooks on Society, Literature, and Politics" (1888). He died in Boston, June 16, 1886. WHIPPOORWILL, in ornithology, Caprimiilgus {a7itrosto7)ius) vociferus, a goat-sucker common in the E. parts of the United States; about 10 inches long; plumage tawny brown, much mottled and indistinctly marked with small transverse bands; top of the head streaked with black, and a narrow white collar on throat. The popular name of the bird is derived from the cry, which bears some resemblance to these words. The habits of the bird are like those of the European goatsucker. WHISKEY, an ardent spirit, distilled generally from barley, but sometimes also from wheat, rye, sugar, molasses, etc. There are two varieties — viz., malt whiskey and grain whiskey. The for- mer is of finer quality, and made prin- cipally from malted barley and some- times, though rarely, from rye. The latter is cheaper but stronger, and is made from various substances, as su- gar, molasses, potatoes, but principally from unmalted grain, as Indian corn, barley, oats, etc., dried and ground up. If kept sufficiently long, it is equal in quality to malt whiskey. WHISKEY INSURRECTION, the name given to a local outbreak occur- ring in opposition to the excise law passed by Congress, March 3, 1791. In addition to the general objections urged against the measure, the inhabitants of western Pennsylvania considered the tax an unfair discrimination ag«inrt their region and raised an insurrection, causing President Washington to call out an army of 15,000 militia. This show of an unsuspected vigor and re- source on the part of the Government forced the insurgents to disperse with- out bloodshed.